Mail-bag fastening



(NoModeL) v 0. T. ANDERSON. MAIL BAG FASTENING.

No. 458,770. Patented Sept. 1,1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES T. ANDERSON, OF CLARKSBURG, MARYLAND.

MAIL-BAG FASTENING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 458,770, dated September 1, 1891.

Application filed May 13, 1891. $erial No. 392,623. (No model.)

T0 on whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES T. ANDER- SON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Olarksburg, in the county of Montgomery and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail- Bag Fastenings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention is especially designed for fastening and securing mail bags and pouches; but it is also adapted to be applied to bags used for other purposes, as will be readily understood from the following description.

It consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, as hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention and form apart of this specification, Figure 1 is a front view of a bag or pouch, showing the same closed and locked. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the back of the bag. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 00 0c in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a front view showing the top of the bag as when open.

Similar letters designate the same parts in all the views.

A designates the bag or pouch, the rear side of which is longer than the front, the eX- tended portion (marked a) forming a fiap which folds down over the front to close the mouth of the bag. Across the front of the bag, near the top, is a series of headed pins or studs 1), which form a part of the fastening devices, as will presently appear. The flap a has formed in it a series of openings 0, which correspond with the studs b, so that when the flap is folded down to close the bag the said studs will project through said openings.

1) designates a fiat metal plate, in which are formed a series of openings 11, come sponding also with the series of studs 1) and of such size as to receive or pass over the heads of said studs. Extending from the openings cl are angular slots d, correspond ing in width with the thickness of the bodies of the studs 12, so that when the studs are in said slots, as represented in Fig. 1, the plate cannot be taken off without first moving it to bring the studs into the openings (1. If then the plate be locked in the position indicated in Fig. 1, it will be seen that the bag will be securely fastened.

As a means for locking the plateD against the movement necessary to remove it from the studs Z), a hasp e is hinged or otherwise flexibly connected to the upper edge of the same, so as to be capable of being turned down over the top of the bag against the back thereof, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The hasp is provided with a lock-loop f, which, when the parts are in the locking position, projects through coinciding openings 9 g, formed in the top of the bag and in the flap, and also through an opening in the plate D, and receives the bow of a padlock G, whereby the parts are all securely locked together and the plate D is prevented from being shifted to disengage it from the studs 1). The plate D is attachedto the bag by short chains (or straps, if preferred) h, which prevent it from becoming separated from the bag when the latter is opened and hold it in position to be conveniently and expeditiously applied. The hinged hasp folded over the top of the bag guards and protects the latter at the fold of the flap and prevents undue wear. Without thishasp, should the flap be torn off or in any way be severed from the body of the bag, the latter would at once open and allow the contents to be spilled out or abstracted. WVith the hasp folded over the top the flap is not only pro tected, but should it be entirely severed the bag would still be held closed. Evidently the metal strap might be provided with several hasps arranged at such distances apart as to preclude the possibility of any of the contents of the bag being taken out between them. This would involve merely a duplication of hasps and would be entirely within the scope of my invention.

The operation of closing and locking the bag is as follows: First fold down the flap Ct until the studs 6 project through the openings 0. Then apply the metal plate D by passing the heads of the studs b through the open ings d and moving it vertically and laterally to bring the studs into the angular parts of the slots d. Now turn the hasp down and press it against the back of the bag until the lock-loop f passes through the openings g g and through the opening in the plate D, when the lock G is locked into the loop f and the To unlock reverse the operation just bag is securely closed and locked. and open the bag, described.

In order to provide the necessary flexibility required for the plate D to prevent it from bend ng or breaking under the rough usage to whlch mail-bags are often subjected, I make t in short sections 1 3 5 7 9 11 13, &c., as lndicated in Fig. 1, the said sections being hinged together at 2 4 G 8, & c., so that they may fold together and yield without danger of breaking when the bag is bent or folded. As shown in the drawings, each section of the plate has one opening (1 and slot (1'; but it will be understood thatthis arrangement may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention-as, for example, each section may have two or more openings and slots, or the openings or slots may be formed only in alternate sections.

Having now described claim 1. The combination, with the bag A, provided on its front side with a transverse row of beaded studs or pins projecting out from the body and with a flap adapted to be folded down to close the mouth of the bag and having in it a series of openings to receive the said studs or pins, of a metal plate having in it a series of holes to receive the heads of said studs or pins and slots (1 running from said my invention, I

holes and adapted to receive the bodies of said studs, and a hasp e, flexibly connected with said plate and adapted to be folded over the top and against the back of the bag, the said hasp being provided with a lock-loop and the bag, flap, and plate with openings to receive said loop when the parts are in looking position, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination,witlrthe bag A, provided with a flap a, adapted to be folded over the mouth to close the same, and with a series of headed studs 1), the said flap having openings to receive said studs, of ametal plate D, having openings (Z to receive the heads of the studs and slots d running from said openings to receive the bodies of said studs, a hasp e, provided with a lock-loop f and flexibly connected with said plate D and adapted to be folded over against the back of the bag, the said bag, flap, and plate having openings to receive said loop f when the parts are in locking position, and a lock G for locking the parts together, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES T. ANDERSON.

Vitnesses:

W. O. HALDEMAN, WM. A. EASTERDAY. 

